A Castle Thanksgivings
by phnxgrl
Summary: This is a continuation from A Birthday Story. Rick Castle and Clan are meeting for a very unusual Thanksgivings at the loft.


It is the day of the 24th for November all through the Castle household Thanksgivings preparations are being made for the feast later in the Day. There were going to be many other guests this Thanksgivings. Rick and Kate welcomed them all. So Rick was busy outside in the 14 degree weather fussing over the Fried Turkey.

Alexis comes up behind him.

"Careful Dad let's not repeat the Thanksgivings of 2004." Alexis smirks.

Kate has braved the cold weather to follow Alexis outside and was curious about why that Thanksgivings was so important.

"Rick what happened to the Thanksgivings of 2004?" Kate asks earnestly.

"Well you see Mom…Dad well… Maybe a video of the occasion might help you visualize this!" Alexis says with a smile.

Rick concerned turns away from the Turkey to see his Wife and Daughter huddled around her Smartphone.

"Hey you told me you erased that video!" Rick complains.

"Dad I did but it got viral somehow and now it is a world famous vid on You Tube. No matter what you do. If it gets on the net it is permanent." Alexis retorts.

"Rick you know that is true. How often do we solve a case using the net retaining capability?" Kate states.

Kate starts laughing as Alexis brings up the video of the Exploding Turkey!

"Now Kate what you see there is not entirely my fault." Rick protests.

"Dad she has evidence of your fault. How can you honestly say it is not? Evidence never lies!" Alexis retorts.

Rick turns to look at the contraption used in Frying the Turkey. It seems secure so he turns back to his giggling Wife and Daughter.

"Oh Rick you look so cute with the penciled in eyebrows." Kate coos.

"Dad it was a good look for you" Alexis jibes.

"Actually it is a small wonder you did only have singed eyebrows. That was some spectacular failure." Kate comments.

"So Dad you said something about not your fault?" Alexis prods

"Yeah Rick it is pretty damning evidence preserved for all eternity." Kate adds with a chortle.

"If you want to know why it was not my fault? Rick asks as he leans in conspiratorially.

"Well we are waiting…" Kate says getting impatient that it was getting colder outside.

"Dad hurry up Mom is starting to shiver." Alexis implores.

"No Kate you go back inside and drink a bit of the hot cherry cider on the stove. I will be done soon. You can't stay out here much longer. Think of Lily even she might even be feeling the cold by now." Rick points out.

"Ok Rick for the sake of our child I will retreat but you will tell me later!" Kate says giving him her best Beckett Stare down.

Rick shudders as he watches both his Daughter and Wife depart to return to the warmth of the loft.

Rick returns to tending the turkey until it was perfect. He hoists it out gently from the boiling oil then allowed the turkey to be suspended over the oil as it started to cool. The dripping of hot oil hissed as it entered the rapidly cooling oil.

Rick satisfied the Turkey could be handled properly then covered the oil and set up the barrier if the unthinkable did happen. The vat of oil tipped over would stay contained and not melt the roof or catch on fire. The Incidence of 2004 taught him much on hot oil safety.

Rick returns to the Loft with a perfectly cook Fried Turkey. He placed in the Warmer especially created to maintain the turkey at its succulent best.

Rick looks around the displays. There were people like LT who had nowhere to go after his family disinvited him. Rick was glad that he was able to accommodate so many dispossessed. The Election of 2016 had many unforeseen consequences. One was families were torn apart by the simple matter of who you voted.

Rick looks over at the Ryan's they normally were at one or another of his Sisters in Mass. This year they were left to fend for themselves. Rick heard and immediately made plans for their family too. Esposito and Lanie were unexpected too. Their flights out of JFK were cancelled due to the record amount of snow elsewhere in the country. Global Warming indeed Rick Scoffs. That 2002 Guardian article saying by 2014 there would be no more Snow in winters! How ridiculous that was! One look outside put a lie to that!

It was still great to have so many to share in their abundance. The men were clustered around the Super Hi def Wide screen Rick had just purchased playing The greatest football sim ever Madden! Kevin had just lost to LT and moved next to Rick.

"Castle, I am glad you made this invite. I was a bit at a loss to my Sister's attitude. It just does not make sense." Kevin says.

"Not a problem Kevin you know you are my Brother and your family are members of this extended Clan. You could have just shown up. I know everyone here would always welcome you warmly as ever." Rick says.

"Well yeah, it is still thanks again man." Kevin says being distracted by his oldest coming up to him.

"Daddy, when are we going to eat? I'm hungry." Sarah Grace asks earnestly.

Rick reaches over to snag a roll from the bowl gaining a scowl from Alexis who is carrying it.

He then puts a little butter and homemade Raspberry jam. He now gives it to Kevin then motions to hand it to his daughter.

Kevin bends down and Sarah Grace takes it from his offered hand. She gives such a cute smile.

"So Sarah Grace what are you supposed to say?" Kevin coaxes.

"Thank you" Sarah Grace says in her cute little voice.

"You are most welcomed" Rick says with a smile.

Sarah Grace rushes over to her Mother Jenny who was still nursing their boy. Jenny looks over at Rick with a smile as Sarah Grace greedily devours the treat.

"You are doing very well with her." Rick comments.

"Yeah she is lucky that Jenny is not working right now. It is tight. Your work from RCI does help though. Speaking of help I do not spy our closet spy. Where is Hayley?" Kevin asks.

"Well she got stuck on the West Coast setting up RCI satellite office. After LockSat she and RCI have been in demand." Rick says with a bit of pride.

Kevin nods.

"Alexis is going to join her there after Lily is old enough that Kate can handle it herself. But until then all hands on deck. You will need to excuse me I must to get dressed as Pilgrim." Rick says leaving a bemused Kevin.

Rick meets Kate in the bedroom. She is dressing as a Native American. She spies Rick the moves over to give him a kiss.

"Thanks Babe, Would you help me with this belt it seems to be getting smaller this year." Rick complains.

Kate smirks then changes the topic back to the Exploding Turkey of 2004.

So Rick while I have you all to myself…" Kate says seductively "What happened in 2004 that you said it is not your fault?"

Rick stammers a bit. He has to switch gears from romance to interrogation.

"Ok Kate what happened is: I just did not know what I was doing. I read the directions on line a number of times. I was confident. I thought Mother assured me that the Turkey was thawed. She did not realize it takes 2 whole days to thaw. Mother felt the top and sides of the turkey thinking it was thawed. It had been over night at least 12 hours. To her it surely must be thawed." Rick confesses.

Kate hearing this starts to understand what happened then starts to giggle.

"Rick, you don't mean you placed a half thawed turkey in boiling oil?" Kate smiles then laughs.

"Well Yeah, Kate in my defense I was assured it was thawed…" Rick says protesting.

"Well you should have checked with a thermometer. That would have told you." Kate scolds.

"Yeah…That part was my fault for not checking. My other fault was trusting Mother around food." Rick says.

"Well I am glad our baby's Daddy has learnt from this lesson" Kate says as she kisses him on the lips.

As they start to get hot in heavy they are alerted to Alexis in the room.

"What is it Pumpkin?" Rick asks distractedly.

"Dad the natives are getting restless. You need to continue this later. They want to eat." She intones.

"Right Pumpkin we will be right out!" Rick yells back then snags another kiss then exits the room with Kate following behind.

Rick sits at the head of the amply supplied table. Jim was seated next to Alexis and Jenny. Rick gives thanks in prayer to the almighty. Giving thanks for the food and friends, that both he and their family are safe also thriving. The grace accomplished the food was now distributed. Kate sitting on Rick's right is startled when asked a question.

"Kate, do you know why we celebrate Thanksgivings?" Kate did not recognize the speaker.

Kate thinks back to her teacher Ms. Fredrick. She taught Social Studies. Recalling the lesson she starts to speak.

"Well as I remember it from School the Pilgrims starved and the Native Americans taught them how to hunt and grow crops so the colonists survived and to give thanks they had a great feast to honor divine providence." Kate says.

Some people at the table nodded in agreement other however like Rick had a different look.

Rick smiles at everyone then picks up and reads from a very old book sitting from table to his left. He turns to the proper page then begins to read to everyone. His amazing baritone voice mesmerizes everyone.

In this journal of Governor General of the Mass Bay Colony William Bedford writes of the compact between him the Colony authority and the people.

"It is the year 1620. We arrived in this new land. The first buildings erected were the Storehouse and a communal area for sleeping and eating. Next a barricade was erected by the strongest of men. There was no planting done by the group other than 30 strongest men. The population soon was beset with disasters. There was complaint from the men that they worked all the time for the good of the community but the store house was being raided day and night by those who refused to work. The Colony was in desperate straights as the provisions which were supposed to last for at least 5 years were gone. Starvation set in and many of those who took but did not contribute died. By the Spring of 1622 many were voicing a return to England that the almighty had cursed them. However, in 1623 a new prosperity had appeared there was so much food that a feast was held to give thanks for this bounty. The colony did not starve ever again. Trade was formed with the starving Indians and Export was established with the Mother country itself." Rick states then sets the book down

"I have never heard that" Jenny confesses.

"Nor have I…However, Rick what changed between 1622 and 1623?" Kate asks.

"Was it a change in the weather?" one asked as Alexis sweetly smiles.

"No I got it the Ind…er Native Americans took pity on them?" another says.

"Alexis you are the resident scholar…Would you please enlighten the group of your knowledge of that time?" Rick asks.

Alexis clears her throat takes a swallow of water then begins to speak.

"From Archeological digs which I participated we discovered that prior to the landing of the setters there was a massive plague that hit the Natives which killed all of them in 1607. The areas of 160 square miles were deemed by the other tribes to be cursed. So by 1620 the curse was still thought about by the local tribes. When the settlers arrived there were no friendly tribes to be seen and any sightings were slight and fleeting.

The colonist started using the idea of communism…To which everyone to their need.

It was a disaster. The Communist system starved the settlers and what saved them was Individual ownership of land. No longer would the people work for those who did not work. They could work for themselves and could create as much abundance as they could.

So people could profit from their work. Soon Trade was established with the starving Native tribes. So you can see the narrative of the Native teaching the settlers was quite false. They were not able to feed themselves at all. By the time of 1630 most tribes were regularly trading with the settlers. This is when the idea of feasting was to take place. The settlers with Metal tools helped the natives to become better with their farming too. So it was transfer of technology and Freedom to do what you want with Individual ownership of land created this miracle. It was the use of the Free Markets that created abundance." Alexis states.

"Wait a minute you say there was no slaves and the settlers did not rape the Natives?" One asked very confused.

"Not according to the information at the dig sites. Trade was mutual there was no seizing of land. Slavery in America by white settlers was not used. It was not until 1740 did the first slave appear in America." Alexis responds.

"I've never heard this explanation." Kate murmurs as others nod too.

"Well why would you?" Rick asks.

"I don't understand… Everything I was taught is wrong…Why is that?" Kate asks being quite confused.

"Kate, where did you go to school?" Rick gently asks.

"I went to PS139." Kate proudly says.

Rick smiles.

"Rick what is wrong it's a good school" Kate defends.

"Kate there is nothing wrong with the school per se but what does PS mean?" Rick asks with a smile.

"Rick everyone knows stands for NYC Public Schools!" Kate defiantly says.

Everyone at the table ceases speaking to listen to Rick's conversation with Kate.

"Of course they do Kate but what does Public mean?" Rick asks again smiling at his wife as a she uses her brilliant detective brain.

"Public means everyone and it is controlled by the State…Rick it is Communist system!" She exclaims.

"No wonder they do not teach that all Communist Systems create death as an example the Mass Bay colony in 1620-1622." Kate says being quite startled by this revelation.

"Well The State loves Communist Systems. The people in power get to choose life or death. The people always suffer. Look at the US right now. We are under a Communist System. It is not yet apparent. This is due to deficit borrowing against our children's future. This is no different than the colonist stealing from the storehouse. Luckily we are coming to our senses as a Country by electing President Trump. He will remove the shackles of Communism and allow Freedom once again in this glorious country just like Governor General Bradford removed the colonist's Communist System. Abundance will happen again mark my words." Rick says.

"Yes…To President Trump!" the group gathered cheered and toasted. 2016 was the Thanksgivings to be remembered for a very long time.


End file.
